Clay Classics: Martin The Cobbler

This folktale from Leo Tolstoy's story is narrated by his daughter Alexandra, and directed by Will Vinton, whose Closed Mondays won the OSCAR as Best Animated Short Film. Tolstoy regarded this tale ("Where Love IS God Is") and "Truths We Live By" as his best works, referring to them as "stories that give you something for your soul, for your mind." Having lost his wife and son, and finding it hard to work because of his age, Martin feels he has nothing left to live for, and blames the Lord for this hopeless and lonely existence. When a pilgrim leaves him with an ancient holy book that needs new binding, Martin at first feels unworthy, and then he finds peace by learning to think of others beside himself.